The Tardis and the Firefly
by voxinatwitch
Summary: In an accidental landing, the Doctor finds himself privy to a less-than-cordial welcome party at the hands of the crew on a ship he never intended to board, the Serenity. Yet, he finds here too, there is something, moreover, someone of interest to him, in the form of a girl who knows impossible things.
1. Chapter 1

"You've got ten seconds to tell me what you're doing on my ship, and what that thing is," a no-nonsense voice said, the cold metal of a muzzle of a gun pressing against the side of his head above his ear.

"Yes, it's good to meet you too," The Doctor said, raising his hands, smiling.

"And you'd be?" A woman with long curly dark hair asked, the blaster she held at her hip trained on his chest.

"I'm the Doctor. And that is my ship. But the guns, you really don't need so many guns," he replied, shaking his head.

"My Veronica thinks different," A gruff voiced man retorted from where he stood to the left, brandishing an enormous machine-gun. The woman quirked an eyebrow, mouthing, "Janyne," at the man, who made a face back, muttering, "What?"

"That's all fine, but you still ain't answered the question," the Captain said calmly, lowering his gun to chest level, still training it on the Doctor.

"Yes, well, it was rather an accident," the Doctor responded.

"You working for anybody, Doctor? Say, Alliance?"

"No, no. I'm just a traveler."

"Well it's a long way from anywheres touristy out here." Jayne quipped.

"Yes, as I was saying, I didn't mean to intrude. Things just got a bit wobbly, and I made a bit of an emergency landing in the middle of sp—"

"Space. Time and Relative dimension in Space," a waif-like girl said as she wandered around the corner, from the next compartment, her gaze fixed on the intruder.

"Oh, why, you're, you're brilliant!" The Doctor replied, a grin spreading across his face.

"That so?" the Captain asked.

"You're the Doctor, a lonely god. You came here this time. Time. Lord of Time," the girl continued, smiling mysteriously to herself.

"River!" A male voice called up the hallway, its owner's footsteps echoing against the metal grate.

"Get her out of here," the Captain commanded as the young man rounded the corner as he chased his sister.

"No!" River retorted. "No, I need to see him, Simon."

Simon's face fell. "Look, he's the intruder Wash detected. We need to go back to our rooms—"

"Not our rooms! I need to talk to him. He's a Lord of Time." She smiled widely as she spoke.

"River, do what your brother says," the Captain interrupted.

"No, he's important. The Doctor."

"If you won't try to kill me in so doing, I'd like to examine her," The Doctor spoke up.

"I don't think—" Simon began.

"Okay, Time Lord," River replied, stepping toward him.

"River—" Simon said.

"It's alright," the Captain assured him. "He's not doing a damned thing till he tells us who he is."

"If I must repeat myself, I am the Doctor, and she is correct, I am a Time Lord. My ship seems to have broken through the transdimensional membrane, a weak spot between universes, if you like, and landed here. Wherever here is." He slowly reached into his pocket, opening a wallet with the psychic paper.

"This is the Serenity," The Captain replied, nodding, holstering his gun. "I'm Captain Malcom Reynolds. Sorry 'bout the show there. But we had to know who we were dealing with." Mal nodded to the other two, who lowered their weapons.


	2. Chapter 2

"I really don't see what you think you're going to do," Simon said.

The Doctor didn't reply to him, but nodded slowly, asking River, "Can you tell me who did this to you?"

"The School," she said. "They did things, they put things, in my brain. They tried to erase it, but it didn't work."

"Yes, that makes sense. Tell me more, what did they try to erase?"

"I found out what caused the Reavers. But they tried to hide it, tried to erase it. But I knew."

"Reavers?" The Doctor asked.

"You mean you don't know?" Mal probed.

"No, I'm afraid I don't. You see, I'm not from this universe. I seem to have broken the transdimensional membrane—"

"Not from this universe?" Simon asked, flabbergasted.

"No. You know there are many universes, yes? All paralell, all occupying arguably the same space—"

"Yes, yes, I'm familiar with the physics, but…it's just, this has never happened before." Simon shrugged as he explained his take on it.

"Never? Never, perhaps in your experience but believe me you, many, many things you've never dreamt of have happened, are happening, right this very instant, in all manner of places in this universe and the next."

"OK. Fair enough. But really, you don't know about the Reavers?" Simon asked.

"No. I'm not from your universe. There aren't Reavers in mine, so, please, do explain." The Doctor said, putting away his sonic.

"Well, in this verse, there's a such thing. Reavers is what we call them, the men, almost more animals to them than men, really, who live at the edge of space, driven bloodcurdling mad by the experiment the Alliance ran on Miranda." Mal said.

"Miranda?" The Doctor asked.

"A little moon where the Alliance tried out the Pax, a drug they thought was going to make the population peaceful," Zoe explained.

"But it worked a little too well, really," Simon continued, "Most of the population were so strongly affected by the Paxillion Hydrochlorate that their systems shut down and they died where they stood. Yet, a few of them reacted paradoxically; they grew violent, irrational. They took to the skies in ships, and roam the edges of the Outer Rim."

"Near bouts anybody that's ever met em's dead," Jayne said. "They wear the skins of their victims, that they've killt with their bare hands."

"My," The Doctor said. "But I get the feeling you've met them. How'd you learn all this?"

"We know coz we've been there," Mal said.

"We fought them. And we fought the Alliance, to bring the truth to the 'verse once and for all, about what really happened." Zoe explained.

"We couldn't have done it without River," Simon said. "No one would have ever known otherwise."

River nodded, her face sorrowful.

"So…how long ago was this?" The Doctor asked.

"Oh, it's been a few weeks now," Mal said.

"What of this Alliance? Have they paid for what they've done?" The Doctor continued.

"Dunno yet, really," Zoe said. "We've been out here at the Outer Rim for a while now, laying low while whatever's gonna happen goes down."

"Yeah, Alliance ain't too kindly toward us," Mal explained. "Granted they've got their hands full for now, but, we still ain't too keen on heading back toward the thick of it just yet. Best to hang back a bit while it sorts itself out."


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for the reviews, CopperDragon 2, and the many follows and faves from the rest of you guys. :)

* * *

"I see. Tactical retreat, yes? Very good. At least you don't turn to violence where unnecessary," he mused aloud.

"Violence? But I was born for violence," Jayne protested, earning a look from Zoe.

"Well, this is all nice, but we gotta get back to navigation controls," Mal said.

"Very well," The Doctor replied. "Might I follow though? This is all very interesting. And…perhaps, I could help."

"Help with what all? The Alliance?" Mal asked.

"Yes, the Alliance, as you call them." The Doctor nodded. "I have had some my experience dealing with opposing parties. And fighting for humanity."

"Well, I don't spose it could hurt anything, Doctor," Mal responded. "Why don't you follow us up to the controls room? Get you 'quianted with the ship while's we're at it."

"That sounds delightful," The Doctor replied.

Mal motioned up the hallway, and the group began to walk, wandering up the way.

Jayne mumbled again, dissatisfied as he shouldered his gun.

"Oh, get over it!" Zoe scolded him. "Not everything ends in a fight!" She smacked him on the shoulder.

"But it's so Gorram boring lately," Jayne replied as they walked.

"Boring!" Simon scoffed, rolling his eyes. "_Boring_ is good. Our lives have been terribly interesting lately and I for one don't mind a healthy bit of boring."

"Well'n that's just you," Jayne quipped, making a face.

"Alright, you two. Enough!" Mal broke in, "Jayne, why don't you go check the cargo hold? Make sure everything's where it should be. I'll show our visitor to the control room. Go on, then, git!"

Jayne grumbled under his breath, but did as he was told.

"And Zoe, will you check on Kaley? She might oughtta meet him too."

Zoe nodded, heading off quickly toward the engine room, leaving Mal, The Doctor, River, and Simon walking up the hallway toward the control room.

"Ah, I see," The Doctor said, tapping the walls and waving his sonic as he walked.

"Do you have to do that?" Mal asked.

"Well, I suppose I don't, but…I"m scanning, if it's alright with you. Perhaps you'd care to tell me more about your ship?"

"Yes. Serenity's a Firefly class transporter. I found her and got her back running after the war…" Mal trailed off.

"Yes, I see," The Doctor said, now looking at the display on his screwdriver. "She's rather old, isn't she?"

"Yeah, old aright, but reliable. She'll run longer than we'll live most like." Mal said, a hint of sadness in his voice.

"You'd said you got her after the war. Tell me more." The Doctor prodded, knocking on the wall as he walked.

"The war….see, the Alliance fought to take over the independent planets near bouts 10 years ago. I was a member of the resistance, the Browncoats. We…lost. Hell of a lot of good men died, and for what? The Alliance to keep killin' keep oppressin'…Anyways, we've been flyin these skies ever since," Mal explained, stopping to open a porthole as he spoke.

As the door zipped open, he ushered The Doctor and River into the control room.

"Ah, magnificent," The Doctor murmured, taking in the view. "Here we are, hanging in the edge of space, gazing upon the firey glory of the Orion nebula!" He exclaimed, appreciating the view rippling clouds of glowing gasses that stretched thousands of miles before them, all perfectly showcased past the panoramic windows of the control room.

"Yep," Mal sighed. "They never could take the sky."

"No one can. Thats why it's the sky," The Doctor flourished, moving to one of the control desks, where he hunched in one of the chairs, examining the toggles.

"Doctor, what exactly do you think you're doing?" Mal admonished, coming to stare over his shoulder.

"Oh, I'm just checking your settings," he said without looking up. "You know, if you change the thrust ratio, you can increase power by 45%," he said as he flipped switches and pressed buttons, the console blooping as he adjusted it.

"Now, why don't you just slow down there a minute," Mal said, spinning the control chair around so that The Doctor couldn't reach the console.

"You know, I'm only trying to help—" he protested, his tone and expression showing his clear disapiontment.

"You realize you're on _my ship,_ and I don't take too kindly to somebody coming in here thinking they can tell me how all to fly her." Mal continued. "By the way, who exactly are you? Your paper there showed me somethin' mighty strange. Said you were a Browncoat resistance leader. But now, I know that can't be true. I am a Browncoat. And they're all gone. So why don't you just come clean and tell me the truth? Huh, Time Lord?"

"What? I told you the truth before," The Doctor said, his face falling.

"No, I don't think so," Mal replied, frowning. "Now I want to know the truth. You're on my ship. What I say goes."

"Well, this is a little awkward," The Doctor said, reaching into his jacket to pull out the wallet with the psychic paper.

"That? See, how can that be, it says—" Mal began.

"Time Lord," The Doctor and him said at once.

"It's psychic paper. It says what the person reading it wants, expects, to see. It really means nothing," The Doctor explained, pulling it out. "Here, you try." He handed it to Mal, who took it, his expression morphing in surprise as the writing on the paper transformed before his eyes.

"Smuggler? You run a ship full of criminals," The Doctor said softly.

"Criminals is a kinda harsh description for it," Mal shrugged, handing the paper back. "Recall I said we was once part of the resistance from the Alliance? We….we kinda have a habit a' takin from the rich, what with bein' we're just tryna' survive, an we give to the poor when we can…that sorta deal. Ain't 'zackly like none of us could get 'nother job somewheres. Nobody'd hire a Browncoat. An' we'd still be scrapin by tryna have

nuff to eat. Alliance don't make it easy to survive out here, an' if you asks me, it's on purpose. I mean, if it was up to them, there ain't no doubt about it, we'd all be dead. My entire crew."


	4. Chapter 4

"Understood," The Doctor nodded, tucking the paper back into his wallet and putting it back in his coat, turning back toward the controls.

Mal put a hand on his shoulder. "Now I didn't say I was done with you yet," he said, eyebrows raised in a no-nonsense way.

"Meaning?" The Doctor asked, shrugging off his hand stiffly, as if insulted

"You ain't who you said you were. Time Lord, yeah? So, how bout's the truth this time around?" Mal replied, making eye contact with him so that the earnestsness of his gaze was plain to see.

"I've been telling you the truth," The Doctor responded, rolling his eyes. "I am a Time Lord. I am from another universe. And I really only do want to help. What more do you want to know?!"

"How'd you find our ship?" Mal prodded, taking a step back as if to allow him breathing room.

"I didn't find you. I crashed here. Although…the Tardis…she could have brought me here, actually—" The Doctor said, a smile forming on his face at the realization.

"Brought you here? Say who?" Mal asked, his expression clouding with confusion.

"The Tardis, my ship, is, well this is all complex, but she's sentient. She knows where I need to go, and she's psychic. Perhaps—oh!—perhaps, River somehow made contact with her—" His expression lit up even more as he spoke, the possiblities forming in his mind making him nearly glow.

"OK," Mal replied, "But I don't see—"

"No, no, you wouldn't see," The Doctor replied. "You're all too human, but….she would. River," he called.

"Yes?" She replied, silently standing from the seat she'd taken across the control room.

"Did you call me?" He asked, approaching her.

She regarded him with deep, sad eyes. "I…I don't know," she said softly.

"Are you sure?" The Doctor asked.

"I don't know," She insisted, shaking her head.

"Very well. River…" he trailed off, sighing.

"My name," she whispered. "You…you don't like my name."

"No, I," The Doctor stuttered.

"You knew her. She had my name. But she's dead. You—you_ watched her die_…" River spoke slowly, forehead creased in concentration as if she were trying to make sense of the information as it came to her, breaking into a grimace, her voice shifting to revulsion as she finished speaking.

"It wasn't like that—" The Doctor began, shaking his head, his voice rasping with distress.

"Well 'n how was it, exactly?" Mal prodded, frowning deeply as he stepped toward the two from where he'd been standing, watching.

"It was—" The Doctor began, but was interrupted.

"Okay! That is enough," Simon interjected, his voice loud as he entered the control room from the hallway.

"Yeah, I kinda been thinking the same," Mal agreed, "This is all kinda strange for my taste."

"Strange?" The Doctor protested incredulously. "Out of all that could give you pause, it's that? There's a psychic young woman, men driven mad at the edge of space, nefarious powers behind it all, and you find issue with me? I'm just a traveler! And I didn't mean to come. The fact is, I believe I was called here. Yet none of you want to find out! If you ask me, that's what's strange!"

Mal laughed at this, shaking his head. "Fine. How's about properly explaining yourself first? Coz as it stands, it sounds mighty unflattering for you."

"But—" Simon cut in, getting a look from Mal.

"My ship, my orders. I believe he was gonna explain himself." Mal said sharply.

Simon scowled, but relented, rolling his eyes in consternation.

"Yes," The Doctor said, shifting on his feet awkwardly as he did so, his voice coming out sad, low, as he found the words. "River…she's right, there was someone in my life, someone very important, who saved me once. Once, twice…many times, really. And when she died, the first time I met her, well, there was nothing I could do. She was so impossible. Always the impossible woman."

"Pretending that makes any sense," Simon scoffed, "Why wouldn't you have tried to save her?"

"I did! She….she made every effort to keep me from saving her. She…she believed, that sacrificing herself to keep me alive was worth it. I…I only hope she was right. She…had to know I knew how she died. She knew my future, I knew hers, and yet somehow, she managed to keep living with the fact of her own death. She must've known I knew how she'd meet her end, and yet, she didn't care. She…she was the most brilliant woman.." he trailed off momentarily, emotion ripe in his voice. "So don't you dare tell me I didn't do enough to save her. I love her. So—"

"Alright," Mal cut in. "Now, we didn't go askin just to insult you. I for one am willing to let that drop. So say, we leave that be. What about this psychic ship of yours?"


End file.
